Boxing and respectability have never been close friends. So you'd think a fine, upstanding NFL owner wouldn't want to mess with a fight that will be dipped in sleaze.
Unless the owner is Jerry Jones, of course.
The Cowboys' boss never met a bum he wouldn't sign or a dollar he wouldn't chase. So in the tradition of Pacman Jones, Tank Johnson and Terrell Owens, we bring you Antonio Margarito vs. Manny Pacquiao.It's not official yet. But don't be surprised if the shady planets align and Cowboys Stadium plays host to the fight on Nov. 13.
As to why the image-conscious NFL should care, Margarito (above) is a combination of Pacman, Spygate and an intentional crackback block. Society doesn't expect much out of boxing, but Margarito pulled a stunt in January 2009 that would have embarrassed Mike Tyson.
His fists were taped with plaster of Paris before fighting Shane Mosley, essentially turning them into loaded weapons. Mosley's camp discovered the ploy before the bell, which was lucky for both fighters.
Mosley could have been maimed, and Margarito could have been sent to jail. As it was, he merely had his boxing license suspended for a year.
Now he wants to fight again, but the California State Athletic Commission voted 5-1 on Wednesday to deny his application for reinstatement. It apparently was not impressed by Margarito's attitude over the past 19 months.
He sparred in a gym without getting the required license. He never apologized for the near-crime. In his one bout (held in Mexico, which didn't recognize the U.S. ban), Margarito grinned and twirled his fists at the TV cameras, seemingly laughing the whole thing off.
He maintains that he had no idea his trainer put the plaster mixture on the tape. Yes, and Pacman had no idea who shot the bouncer at the strip club.
"This was a sordid incident in California history," deputy attorney general Karen Chappelle told the California commission. "It strains credulity that he didn't know anything about the illegal hand wraps."
How strained was it? Even David Letterman weighed in after the fight with "Top Ten Reasons Antonio Margarito Used Plaster of Paris." Among my favorites:
10. I thought I was in LA to get my hands cemented for the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
7. I was only commemorating the 26th anniversary of the Luis Resto incident.
That last one really isn't funny. Resto removed padding from his gloves and taped his fists with plaster before a bout against Billy Collins Jr. He was caught and served 2 1/2 years for assault, conspiracy and criminal possession of a deadly weapon.
Collins' vision was permanently damaged. He couldn't fight again, became depressed and eventually drove his car off a cliff.
So why are Jones, Pacquiao and promoter Bob Arum associating with him?
Money is in the air, and they're scrambling like the strippers after Pacman made it rain.
(Please forgive me for conjuring the image of Jones in a G-string).
Everything was pretty much set, then those meddling Californians denied Margarito a license. The only alternative now is to try to get reinstated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
Boxing commissions usually honor the rulings of other states, but why do I get the feeling the boys down in Austin will decide poor Margarito has suffered enough?
Jones is still jazzed over the 50,944 fans who showed up at Cowboys Stadium for the Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight in March. He figures the Bad Boy from Mexico will be an irresistible draw to Texas' Hispanic community.
Of course, he also figured Johnson would solidify the defensive line once he got out of house arrest. And T.O. would be the unifying force that would bring Dallas a Super Bowl. And Pacman would be a great addition to the Cowboys' secondary.
He wasn't, even before he got into a fight with the babysitter who had been assigned to keep him out of trouble.
I don't expect much of a social conscience out of Jones, much less Arum. Pacquiao, however, is a revered lawmaker in the Philippines. He shouldn't be dragged down to this level, but this Pacman seems willing to do anything to get another title.
Then there's Margarito, who probably cheated his way into a marquee fight against Mosley. He could have killed Mosley if he hadn't been caught. He's shown no remorse. Now he's in line for a multi-million dollar payday.
I'd say it could only happen in boxing, but you know Jerry Jones. If the fight falls through he'll probably sign Margarito as a defensive back.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
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